There is a limited market for cut down motor plates with
no motor mounts.
 My
 guess you will find less than five people willing to spend
$250 to take out
 2 or 3 pounds out of a flying example.
We need things with a higher priority than water pumps.
The 2nd gen and 3rd
 gen engines will become more scarce as times goes on and
the RX8 pump is
 fine as is. Also there is a light weight low cost aluminum
cartridge
 already
 available for the 2nd gen and 3rd gen pumps.
Now 15 pounds out of the gear box with a $1000 dollar
saving is another
 matter :)
Paul Lamar

Did you have Something specfic
 In mind or were you just tossing out an ideal.
Clifton
I new light weight gear box design that takes the best
features of the 30
 pound Ross and improves upon them. It also takes advantage
of the recent
 drop in NC milling cost to lower the price and the weight.
I am shopping
 for
 a supplier of some of the harder to make parts as we
speak. It will bolt to
 Jeff's motor plate.  Tracy's box is about 40 pounds.
Paul Lamar
 --
 How about a version with a hollow shaft oil fed constant
speed unit? That
 would sell. Marc Wiese
That would be something I would not be interesting in
getting into right
 now
 due to the
 weight of the CS props. One has to choose the largest
market possible when
 one gambles
 on a new product. If this one is successful in the market
place well then
 maybe a CS
 version.
 --
 Paul Lamar

Paul,
 Have you seen the Aerocomposites cs units? http://www.aerocomposites.com/or
 the MT, or Hoffman, for weight.....all are composite
blade, oil fed
 constant
 speed units. Lighter weights. I've heard good reports from
aerobatic (and
 seaplane) pilots running some of them, esp the
aerocomposite ones.
 Marc Wiese
MT and Hoffman have electric versions as well.
Paul Lamar

Paul, others.
I have heard good things about Aero Composites but they
are unwilling to
 make a electric version.
 This begs the question.Are electric C/S
props  adequate for non
 acrobatic flying?  If so it seems a shame to add the
weight and
 complexity of a belt driven prop governor, plus the
hassles of the
 hollow prop, shaft seals and  hoses etc.

Doug in  Japan.
Mark Steitle runs one so lets ask him. Mark how well does
it work?

Paul Lamar

Paul,

Bobby Hughes and I are both running 3-blade M/T electric
props and we're
both very happy with it.  I get great takeoff &
climb performance (6800 -
7200 rpm) and once at a safe altitude, I can dial it back
for a more
economical cruise climb (6000 rpm), and finally to economy
cruise (5100-5200
engine rpm).  The best feature is that I can change
the prop pitch in flight
if I want go fast.

Not having an adjustable prop would be like riding a
centrifugal clutch
Cushman motor scooter, if you remember what those were
like.

Mark S.

Gee, Mark, are you that old?  How about a Salsbury scooter?

Joel
Over the Hill Materials E.